Adunni Oluwole rose to prominence during the 1945 general workers’ strike, a landmark protest against colonial wage disparities that paralysed Nigeria’s economy for over a month. The actress and preacher mobilised women, raised funds, and delivered rousing speeches that sustained the movement. Her support helped bolster morale at a time when the British government sought to weaken the strike through intimidation and economic pressure.

In the 1950s, she founded the Nigerian Commoners Party (NCP), one of the few political movements led by a woman. Unlike nationalist leaders pushing for immediate independence, she warned that self-rule under Nigeria’s emerging elite could entrench inequality rather than dismantle colonial-era injustices. Her critique gained traction among working-class Nigerians, especially in rural areas, where her party secured a legislative seat in 1954, defeating the dominant National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) and Action Group (AG).

Her outspoken stance made her a target for political opponents, leading to her banishment from Ibadan. Yet, from exile in Akure, she remained an unyielding advocate for the marginalised until her death in 1957.